Superman is hardly the only “Man of Steel.” That moniker could apply to Steven Maeck of Decorah, Iowa, a sculptor who works in welded and assembled steel. The 64-year-old Vermont native is among 10 Midwest artists chosen this year to have their sculptures leased and placed throughout the Quad-Cities last month, in Quad City Arts’ public sculpture program. The pieces will be on display through June 5, 2022. Maeck’s work, “Muso’s Thought,” is near the Channel Cat dock on the Mississippi River in downtown Moline near the Radisson hotel. Since 2002, he has designed and fabricated sculptural... Read More

ROCK ISLAND, IL – Skeleton Key Art and Antiques invites you to join Rock Island antique shops for a “shop hop” style shopping event this Saturday, July 17th. Five of Rock Island’s antique stores will offer shopping, sales, and a chance to win $100 in gift certificates as they welcome shoppers to the Antique Island. Skeleton Key Art and Antiques is being joined for this event by Fred & Ethel ‘s Retro Antiques, GV’s Stuff, Dar Jac Antiques & Jewelry, and Jackson‘s Antiques. Each of the eight participating locations have donated a gift certificate, and one lucky winner who gets... Read More

BREAKING NEWS (UPDATED): At an invitation-only event Thursday night, the Figge Art Museum unveiled seven new acquisitions and a newly created Art Diversity and Equity Fund intended to combat the systemic inequality in the art world. The fund is supported by a lead gift from locals Jim and Michelle Russell of Russell Construction. According to a 2019 published research journal by the Public Library of Science, the diversity of artists in major U.S. museums illustrates the urgent need to focus on collecting and preserving the works of artists from marginalized communities. The study found that 85.4%... Read More

Quad City Arts has wrapped up another round of exciting new projects in the annual Metro Arts youth apprenticeship program, and held a virtual showcase for 2021 on July 8. Since the summer of 2000, Metro Arts has provided area youth 15-21 years old with paid summer apprenticeships in various arts disciplines. The program provides opportunities for youth and enhances the community through the arts. For five weeks, area youth work together in groups to complete art projects under the supervision and mentorship of professional artists. Participants learn the artistic techniques and applications of... Read More

Artists in Conversation is a weekly column running Wednesdays on QuadCities.com. It features a conversation with a local creator or creators going into their artistic process, projects and more. Get to know your local arts scene and local creators better on QuadCities.com with Artists In Conversation! If you’re a local creator and would like to be featured, please email us at Sean@QuadCities.com or Tristan@QuadCities.com! Kermit Thomas is a first time director at the helm of August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson,” winner of the 1990 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, which opens  this weekend... Read More

ROCK ISLAND, IL – Skeleton Key Art and Antiques invites you to join Rock Island antique shops for a “shop hop” style shopping event this Saturday, July 17th. Five of Rock Island’s antique stores will offer shopping, sales, and a chance to win $100 in gift certificates as they welcome shoppers to the Antique Island. Skeleton Key Art and Antiques is being joined for this event by Fred & Ethel ‘s Retro Antiques, GV’s Stuff, Dar Jac Antiques & Jewelry, and Jackson‘s Antiques. Each of the eight participating locations have donated a gift certificate, and one lucky winner who gets... Read More

In the true “spirit” of Christmas in July, Quad City Arts announces that the trees will be returning for the holidays this year!  Following a year off from its traditional presentation, the 36th Annual Kwik Star Festival of Trees, will be held at the RiverCenter, November 20-28, including all ticketed special events and the free, televised holiday parade scheduled for Saturday, November 20th in downtown Davenport. Showcasing over 150 designer displays, fun-filled attractions, live performances, five special events and the largest helium balloon parade in the Midwest, Festival of Trees is... Read More

From July 2-August 31, 2021, Quad City Arts’ Art at the Airport presents paintings by Ann Kauff of Arlington Heights, IL with woven tapestries by Kara Fedje of Davenport, and ceramic sculpture by Will Van Dyke, of Evanston, IL. Ann Kauff presents Rooted in Place: Farms, Barns, and Bungalows, a series born out of residencies through the Fields Project in Oregon IL, that embedded artists in the everyday life of farm families. This residency deeply impacted her work. She was drawn to the simple shapes of barns, and how firmly they were rooted in their environment. With the advent of the pandemic... Read More

Saturday in the Arts is a weekly feature covering a trend, subject, event or personality of local interest. It runs every Saturday morning on your site for the best entertainment and arts coverage in the area, QuadCities.com! Even though four of the group of 10 students and adults who recently returned from a two-week trip to Italy had been there before, it was a unique, life-changing experience for all involved. Pat Bereskin – longtime artist, teacher and owner of Bereskin Art Gallery & Academy, 2967 State St., Bettendorf – has taken summer trips to Italy every year since 2004, except... Read More

Artists in Conversation is a weekly column running Wednesdays on QuadCities.com. It features a conversation with a local creator or creators going into their artistic process, projects and more. Get to know your local arts scene and local creators better on QuadCities.com with Artists In Conversation! If you’re a local creator and would like to be featured, please email us at Sean@QuadCities.com or Tristan@QuadCities.com! You’ve no doubt heard the names Christina Myatt and Olivia Lyman and this weekend they are on stage together for the first time in Quad City Music Guild’s MAMMA MIA! Mamma... Read More